Hang the Code
by sUnKiSsT
Summary: What would you do if you held both the fate of your own future, and that of someone else's, in your hands? Post AWE, Jack's thoughts.


_**Author Note: Short one-shot on Jack's thought process when Will was stabbed. I know a lot of people have done this, but I just couldn't resist…This is my first attempt at a Pirates fiction, and I wanted to start small before I write something much bigger! Please let me know what you think.**_

* * *

**Hang the Code**

The storm was fierce, the winds picking up to almost unimaginable speeds. Lightning flashed in the pitch black sky, illuminating the battle below it.

The sea pitched its waves to dangerous heights, causing the two ships locked in combat to teeter dangerously towards the deathly whirlpool. Most of the seasoned pirates swayed on the violently rolling ships, some of them losing their footing.

The pirates ignored the groaning of the Black Pearl and Flying Dutchman; instead they fought fiercely against their opponents, oblivious to anything but the current man they were crossing swords with.

One man stood out amongst the rest. He was standing in one spot, not moving, with no weapon raised to attack.

This, obviously, was highly irregular. Who heard of a pirate on an enemy ship, with no weapon poised and at the ready?

But to Captain Jack Sparrow, it didn't matter how odd he might look. The pirate stood still, holding both a pulsing heart and short dagger in his hands.

Members of his crew passed by, fighting against Davy Jones own men. Some of them, noticing that their captain was in a very vulnerable state, and was prone to get skewered where he stood, yelled, "Cap'n! Cap'n where is yer sword? Cap'n?!"

Jack never wavered from where his spot and he did not turn to respond to the crew of the Black Pearl. His eyes were focused on only one thing, which lay only a few feet away from him.

He had the heart of Davy Jones in his hands, with the dagger to end the wretched pirate's life forever. However, Jack was not thinking about simply _killing_ Jones, he was thinking about the aftermath.

His eyes glazed over at the thought.

_Immortality. _

_To sail the glorious seas for eternity. _

"Jack!!"

A horrified cry startled the pirate captain, and his eyes refocused on the scene before him. It had been Elizabeth who had called Jack's name, her eyes wide with terror as she cupped her dying husbands head in her hands. "Oh god, Will…stay with me, stay with me!" She pleaded.

And still Captain Jack Sparrow did not move.

_I can save him. _A small voice at the back of Jack's head stated. Looking down at the bloody heart, he felt himself hesitate. _Save the whelp, or become immortal. _

He was a pirate; the decision should be easy enough.

"_Take what ya can, give nothin' back!"_

But it just wasn't as simple as that.

Jack looked at William Turner, knowing that the lad's time was running out quickly. The boy would be dead soon, and he wasn't sure if he could watch him die. He had seen many people meet their deaths; some part of his own crew…but this…this wasn't the same.

Jack Sparrow _always_ had a plan. He always managed to get everyone, including himself, what they wanted…well, those whom he liked got what they wanted, anyways.

But this he had not expected, not by a long shot. No…this had slipped by the savvy pirate…and his foolishness and cockiness may have very well caused Will his life.

The heart suddenly felt heavy in Jack's hands.

The rules of the code rang through his ears painfully.

"_Those who fall behind are left behind."_

But hadn't Will saved his life on many occasions? He had gone past world's end to retrieve him, for bloody sake. He had ignored the code completely…and now he was dying.

_Dyin' because of me. _

_Dyin' because I let him follow._

_Dyin' because I saw him only as leverage, as a pawn in my own game._

_Dyin' because I __really__ never saw him for what he truly was, a loyal friend...one of the few I have. _

And yet still a voice at the back of Jack's head screamed in argument._ You owe him nothin', it was by his own merit to 'elp ye. _

Will groaned in agony, and Elizabeth cried harder.

Jack took a step forward. _And it is by my own choice to 'elp him, too. _He determined quite suddenly.

It was true that he loved the sea, and to sail on it for centuries with no worries of death would be his own personal paradise.

However, to sail for eternity with the blood of Will Turner on his hands would ruin that dream. No amount of time on the sea would erase the images of the dying young man from his head.

Not even an endless amount of rum could cause him to forget.

Kneeling down beside the couple, Jack looked into the eyes of Elizabeth.

"Jack?" She spoke softly, hesitantly, looking at the heart and dagger.

Jack slowly grinned, and lifted Will's now limp hand.

"Jack…" Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from asking, the shock in her face plain to see, "…the code?"

He didn't respond to her right away, instead he cupped the hilt of the dagger into Will's pale fingers, and placed the thumping heart directly below the hand. With one swift plunge, Jack helped the young man stab the heart.

As blood spurted from the heart, and above the squeals of the dying Davy Jones, Jack looked back up at Elizabeth and said calmly, his grin still in place;

"One, its _Captain _Jack, and two…hang the code, love…they're more like guidelines anyways…"

The sea calmed.

The fighting ceased.

The sun shone through the dark clouds.

And Elizabeth Turner gave Jack Sparrow a trembling smile of appreciation.

**END**

* * *

_**Alright so…may have been a little out of character…I'm not really sure though. Anyways…as I said, this was my first Pirates fic…hope you liked it: )**_

_**-Ashley/sUnKiSsT**_


End file.
